It’s hot in Bay Village, OH, and we’re not just talking about the Cavaliers. Temperatures soar every July and for that you need a strong, reliable air conditioner to keep your home comfortable. Unfortunately, we also deal with sweltering humidity as well, and that can have a huge impact on your system. The good news is you can take steps to addressed it, but it helps to understand how high humidity affects your air conditioner to get a sense of what you need to do to fix it.
Ice on the Coils
Whenever you lower the temperature of the air, the ambient moisture in that air solidifies into droplets, and in the case of the air conditioner’s evaporator coils, even ice. High humidity can result in ice forming on the coils, which insulates the refrigerant from the air it’s trying to cool. The AC unit will use more energy to compensate, raising both the strain and the chances of further repairs down the road.
The Drip Pan
The drip pan is designed to catch condensate as it coalesces from the cooling air. A drain line removes the liquid from the system to keep it from overflowing, but high humidity can increase the moisture levels and overwhelm the pan. Most modern systems have automatic shutdown feature that will turn the system off before the overflow threatens other components, but you can still see what a serious issues this can become.
A Hotter Feeling in General
High humidity makes us feel hotter because our bodies can’t sweat to cool down the way we can when humidity levels are lower. Accordingly, we have to set our air conditioners higher to adjust, and again rates and the strain go up.
The solution to this issue is a whole-house dehumidifier, which can augment your air conditioner’s normal features and produce a more comfortable home for less. Call Westland Heating and Air to find out more.
